KOTA KINABALU: The four people who were reported missing after their boat sank between Balambangan Island in Kudat and Tanjung Simpang Mengayau on May 2, are safe after they were found by Vietnamese fishermen.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Malaysian Maritime) Sabah and Labuan director First Admiral Mohd Zubil Mat Som made the confirmation yesterday after Malaysian Maritime search and rescue (SAR) team managed to contact one of the survivors.

“They are safe,” he said.

“They were rescued by Vietnamese fishermen and we are bringing them back,” he told reporters at a press conference at the Malaysian Maritime Sabah headquarters here yesterday.

Also present was Sabah Navy Region Two Commander Rear Admiral Datuk Khairul Anuar Yahya.

Malaysian Armella Ali Hasan, 23, Spaniards David Hernandes Gasulla, 29, and Martha Miguel, 30, and Tommy Lam Lai Yin from China, 44, were reported missing when they failed to arrival at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau after leaving Kampung Batu Sirih, Balambangan Island around 5.30pm on May 2.

The fiberglass boat’s engine was found by SAR team when it got stuck in a trawler on May 9.

According to Mohd Zubil, a Malaysian Maritime vessel that was involved in the SAR operation had stopped a Vietnamese fishing boat that was in Malaysian’s water some 100 nautical miles from Labuan at about 8am yesterday.

“It was a normal routine check as the fishing boat had entered Malaysian water.

“The boat skipper then contacted other Vietnamese fishing boats and our personnel heard the skipper utter the word “Malaysia-Malaysia”.

“Several minutes later, a woman’s voice was heard over the radio.

“She said her name was Armella (Ali Hasan ) and she is a Malaysian.

“We were initially surprised so we asked for further clarification. The woman said she was with Tommy (Lam Lai Yin). We immediately knew that the two were the four people who had gone missing since May 2.

“We then pressed on further and asked Armella the whereabouts and the fate of David (Hernandes Gasulla) and Martha (Miguel).

“Armella said she saw both Spaniards rescued by another fishing boat.

“We then tried to contact the second Vietnamese fishing boat, where David and Martha were allegedly on board, and after an hour, we were talking to Martha and David.

“After getting all this information, we  confirm that the four, who have been reported missing for nearly 10 days at sea, are safe and in good health,” said Mohd Zubil.

Mohd Zubil believed that none of the four survivors knew a search and rescue operation had been conducted for them since the day of the incident.

“We believe they did not know a search and rescue operation was carried out for them.

“The Vietnamese fishing boats also had no idea of the operation,” he added.

A couple of hours later, Armella and Tommy were on board the Malaysian Maritime vessel, KM Bistari, and headed to Vietnam waters to pick up Martha and David, said Mohd Zubil.

When asked why none of the Vietnamese skippers made any distress call to the Malaysian authorities, Mohd Zubil believed the Vietnamese fishermen were afraid as they had entered Malaysian waters illegally.

“That is what we believe. The second Vietnamese fishing boat where Martha and David were on board had gone back to Vietnam waters and refused to enter Malaysian waters for fear of being arrested.

“But after assuring all parties and seeking assistance from both the Vietnamese and Malaysia Maritime Rescue Communication Centre (MRCC), we entered their waters and met up with the second fishing boat where both Martha and David were on board.

“They were then transferred onto our vessel, KM Bistari, at 6pm today (yesterday) while being escorted back to Malaysia by KD Bauns from the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN),” he said.

When asked on the condition of the four survivors, Mohd Zubil said they only sustained sunburns and were given treatment by a SAR team.

When asked how long had the four been rescued by the fishermen, Mohd Zubil said he was still waiting for further information as radio communications were bad due to the weather.

“We have contacted all the family members of the good news. I was also told that Armella managed to call her father, who is in Papar, through a satellite phone,” said Mohd Zubil, adding that all four survivors would be taken back to Kota Kinabalu today.

Mohd Zubil also thanked all parties, such as the RMN, the marine police  the Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Air Force, and the Department of Civil Aviation, who were involved in the SAR operation.

“We had never given up hope to search for them.

“The SAR operation was supposed to be called off on the eighth day but we unanimously decided to continue on for another couple more days.

“We are just happy that they are all safe and we will call off the SAR operation once all four survivors arrive Kota Kinabalu,” he said.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Elton Gomes

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